1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to missile systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for launching missiles.
While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
2. Description of the Related Art
Two important considerations in the design of military aircraft are aerodynamic drag and radar profile. These considerations operate to impose certain constraints on the method and apparatus for launching missiles from such craft . Current missile launch techniques from pods or air vehicles utilize bay doors or a forward port release.
Bay doors are used in applications where the missile is stored internal to the aircraft. However, this option is generally deemed undesirable in that the internal storage of such weapons increases the size of the aircraft. The increased size causes a corresponding increase in the aerodynamic drag, radar profile, weight and both fixed and recurring costs of the vehicle.
As a result, many designers opt to store missile weaponry external to the aircraft in launch tubes for which the forward port release is the launch technique. With this technique, the missile is ejected in a forward direction from the tube relative to the direction of motion of the aircraft. In this case, high aerodynamic drag and high forward radar reflectivity result on the launch aircraft.
In addition, deployment of aerodynamic stabilizing surfaces on the missile must be delayed until the missile clears the tube. Consequently, the missile is aerodynamically unstable during the launch process and its tail surfaces must be rapidly deployed and locked to avoid weapon/aircraft collision or loss of missile control.
Copending U.S. Patent Application entitled technique and apparatus for rearward launch of a missile, Ser. No. 07/929,356, filed Aug. 14, 1992 by H. August, discloses a low drag, low profile, low cost rearward missile launch technique which enhances the safe separation of the missile from the aircraft as well as the survivability of the aircraft. In accordance with the August teaching, each missile is launched from the rear of a single tube attached to the aircraft. However, a certain degree of hardware overhead is associated with each missile. The overhead is attributable to such factors as the weight of the launch tube, the attachment hardware required on the launch tube and on the aircraft, and the number of electrical interfaces required for the missile, by way of example. This overhead limits the efficiency of conventional missile launch systems.
In addition, since each missile is contained in its own tube and is launched in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, it remains impractical to locate separate launch tubes coaxially, such that as multiple missiles are launched they must exit one tube and immediately enter a previously emptied tube for transit to the free air.
Thus, there is an ongoing need in the art for an efficient missile launch system by which the overhead associated with each missile is decreased.